Bhopal: The Congress government in Madhya Pradesh has formulated a fresh excise policy which is expected to rake up Rs 2,000 crore additional revenue for the cast-strapped state during 2020-21 financial year.
Madhya Pradesh banks heavily on excise collection through liquor sale and the cash-starved Kamal Nath dispensation is determined to bring in additional revenue through the revised policy.
As against the revenue collection of Rs 8,200 crore in 2018-19 from liquor sales, the MP government is hoping to earn Rs 13,000 crore during 2019-20.
“Through the revised policy, we plan to raise at least Rs 2,000 crore extra from excise collection in 2020-21,” said a senior official from Department of Commercial Tax.
“In order to increase revenue in the proposed excise system for the year 2020-21, 2,544 country liquor shops and 1,061 foreign liquor shops will be executed with 25 per cent increase in the annual value of the previous year. The supply of foreign liquor will be done online,” a press release said.
The BJP leadership has hit out at the state government for its move. Former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that while the state has failed to implement Central policies, it is trying to make liquor more easily available for people.
Leader of Opposition in the MP Assembly Gopal Bhargav said the new policy seeks to destroy the state as it would promote more alcohol consumption and shelter the liquor mafia.
Congress media cell vice-president Bhupendra Gupta reminded the BJP leaders about the time when liquor shops and bar hoardings were seen everywhere in the state. “During the BJP’s rule, these leaders never remembered about the poor and jobless youths. At that time, the state government was busy engaging in all sorts of scams.”
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